A grassroots advocacy group celebrated President Obama’s 52nd birthday Sunday in New Bern by hosting an Obamacare house party.

While Obama was spending his birthday at Camp David with family and friends, more than 45 people attended the Obamacare forum at the First Presbyterian Church sponsored by Organizing for Action North Carolina. They were there to learn more about coverage and costs of Obamacare.

OFA-NC used the event to kick off “Action August,” an effort to educate communities about the benefits of Obamacare. Volunteers talked about the benefits, such as free preventive care and protection from insurance company abuses.

Chrissy Willis, a spokesperson for the OFA-NC who was attending another information rally in Raleigh, said the purpose of Action August is to get the facts out about Obamacare.

“We want people in the communities to know that with Obamacare they will not be denied coverage because of lifetime caps or pre-existing conditions,” Willis said. “We are going to push back misinformation. Some people are misinformed that their insurance will go up or they will not be able to pick their own doctors or that when Obamacare comes into effect, they can’t go to their same doctors. That simply is not true. They can.”

Sandi Wheeler, chapter leader for OFA-Craven, said the social Sunday was also to get organized for the Obamacare enrollment that will take place from October through March.

“Most of the people coming today are already committed in helping to spread the word,” Wheeler said.

There are still people who have doubts about Obamacare, thinking it can still be canceled, she said.

“But it is the law,” she said. “It’s not like the government has not done this before with Social Security and Medicare.”

Helen Nesbit Sam-ura said she was attending Sunday’s meeting because she was interested in health care.

“Any president that talks about health care — I’m for that president,” Sam-ura said. “I have a lot of problems with health care for my husband, so health care is very important to me.”

Eddie Fitzgerald can be reached at 252-635-5675 or at eddie.fitzgerald@newbernsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @staffwriter3.